FAQs: Math 173

  1. Help! I'm failing Math 173. Is there another course I can take that will get me into first-year Technology?
  2. What level of math is Math 173? What other courses are equivalent to Math 173?
  3. Is there a little refresher course I can take before Math 173? What about after Math 173?
  4. I'm in Math 172 but I don't have a guaranteed seat for Math 173. What does that mean?

Answers

  1. Help! I'm failing Math 173. Is there another course I can take that will get me into first-year Technology?
    • There are a number of Camosun courses that you can use to satisfy the entry requirements for Technology, but in order to keep your seat in your Tech program, you will have to ask permission from the chair of your Tech program to use this alternate route. Here are your options for an appropriate math course:
      1. The recommended option is to take Math 107: Applied Precalculus in the Summer term, which is 7 weeks in July and August. This course is the closest match to Math 173. It is an accelerated course, 10 hours per week = 2 hours per day, so is fairly demanding, so make sure you have enough time to devote to it. The good news is that you will have seen the same content before in Math 173 so it will be your second look at those topics. A couple of things to note:
        • the pre-req to get into Math 107 is a Math-11 equivalent course with a C+, so you'll need at least a C+ in Math 172 to take this route
        • because Math 172 is not an official pre-req for Math 107, you will need departmental permission to register, so you will have to get the approval of the Math&Stats department chair
        • you’ll need at least a C+ in Math 107 in order to satisfy the pre-req for Tech
      2. If you want a lecture-based course but at a different time in the summer, then you can take Math 115: Precalculus in Spring, which is 7 weeks in May and June. This is also an accelerated course and is more rigorous than either Math 107 or 173. Please note:
        • you'll need at least a B in Math 172 to enter Math 115
        • you’ll need departmental permission to enter this course as Math 172 isn't an official pre-req for Math 115
        • you only need a C or better in Math 115 to enter Technology in the fall
  2. What level of math is Math 173? What other courses are equivalent to Math 173?
    • Math 173 is roughly at a grade 12 level. The other Camosun courses at the same level are Math 107 and Math 115. For more information about these two courses, please see the FAQ on the Math Dept website. Choose the "Upgrading/High school level courses" tab and then the question "Which math 12 level course should I take?".
  3. Is there a little refresher course I can take before Math 173? What about after Math 173?
    • You could do some online refresher courses run through an website external to Camosun. It costs $30 USD for six weeks access to the website, and you can work through as much or as little of the content as you want. You can access these courses through the Math Chair's website.
      • If you're going into Math 173, the two I’d recommend are called "Algebra Prep for Math 12/Precalculus" and "Trig Prep for Math 12/Precalculus".
      • If you've finished Math 173 and are going on to Technology, then I’d recommend that you do the course called "Prep for Applied Calculus".
  4. I'm in Math 172 but I don't have a guaranteed seat for Math 173. What does that mean?
    • The reason for this is that although there are two section of Math 172 offered in Quarter 1, there is only a single section of Math 173 in Quarter 2. The students in Math 172 who are officially registered in the Tech Access program get guaranteed seats in the Math 173 section. If those students then completely fill up the Math 173 class, there is unfortunately no space for other students who want to get it. (There’s often a strong probability that there’s room for one or two more, but unfortunately, the math department cannot guarantee it.) So, if you are not a Tech Access student and you want to take Math 173, you will not be able to register for the class via Camlink because it is restricted to the current crop of Tech Access students. Instead, we ask you to show up on the first two days of Math 173 in Quarter 2 and bring a PTR, permission-to-register form, with you. If at that time there is room in the course, the instructor will sign you in -- which also means, unfortunately, that the instructor will not sign a PTR for you before the third day of classes. The situation for off-stream students is similar in Phys 151.
    • Because we cannot guarantee a seat for you, it is good to have a backup plan. Here's the summary for the recommended backup plan:
      • Register as soon as possible for Math 107 in Winter just in case.
      • Show up for first two days of Math 173 in January.
      • If luck is with you, there will be room and you will promptly drop Math 107. But if it isn't, then you have an acceptable alternate route to qualify you for your Tech program.
    • The reason for the backup plan is that usually, the Quarter classes start one week before the Winter semester courses. If you come to Math 173 and there is no room, you could then take Math 107, an equivalent course at Lansdowne starting the following week, instead. BUT, since classes at Lansdowne fill regularly, you should really register NOW for that course, rather than waiting until the last minute. (Unfortunately, that also means that you would have to pay a registration fee for the Winter term as well as the quarter. This is something for you to discuss with Registration.) There are similar physics courses at Lansdowne that you could take instead of Phys 151 should that course also be full – please consult with the physics department for those options. But registering for this NOW is key, because if you wait until after the quarter start, the Math 107 at Lansdowne will almost certainly be full with a long waitlist. And the next time that Math 107 is offered is the Summer term, which may or may not work for you.